Beginners FAQ on sausage making, meat curing etc may often be found at the head of each relevant section, but here is the place to ask experienced users for advice if you are still stuck or need more information...we're here to help!

I have a slab of belly pork lying in the fridge in a cure of pink salt, sugar, salt, juniper, black pepper and bay leaves. BUT I have made a mistake in measuring out the amounts.I am roughly using Ruhlmans dry cure mixture and I didn’t see the fact that the amount he states is for 2.25 kg (as I only ever work with amounts per kg) and as a result the nitrites are sitting at 267 ppm

Anyway, his recipes confuse me as the dry cure for bacon works out at 119 ppm nitrite, if all nitirite is absorbed by the meat, but his pancetta works out at 388 ppm?

How much salt and nitrite actually get absorbed by the belly? I suppose an equilibrium forms with the liquid that leaches out?

According to Marianski (I lend out my book, stupid mistake) the amount of nitrite should be a maximum of 180 ppm (rind removed).

Should I toss my well looked after pork belly or can I soak it in water for a certain amount of time to leach out cure and water? Or is there anything else I can do?Obviously the amount of salt is way too high as well.......

If we are dry curing then 200 ppm is ok seeing you are only 'slightly over the limit (I myself) think it will be alright --- as for the 'excess' salt -- I would rinse after cured and try a few slices to find out 'how' salty it is -- if too salty soak overnight in cold water (change a couple of times)

I guess that 'officially' I should say to chuck it. But would I? No, I wouldn't.

Why? Well, it's not that long ago (1995 actually) that UK law allowed residual amounts of nitrite up to a level of 175PPM in cured bacon. So as a one-off, I can't see a problem.

I'd either do as Brican suggests regarding the salt, or keep it for casseroles, and the like, that the higher level of salt won't be noticeable in. Doing that will also mean that the bacon is never at the high temperatures that nitrosamines are said to possibly form at, which sorts that argument out before it starts!

Thanks for the advice.I am going to soak in water to try and reduce the saltiness (and nitrites) and then mainly use in casseroles (and eat the odd piece as is )My feeling is that it would be best to soak before smoking. Am I right?

I have a couple more questions about bacon/pancetta, smoking, cooking etc, but will put those in a seperate post.Thanks again for the help

This morning, I took the belly out of the cure and rinsed it.It is very very tasty, but as expected, too salty.I have moved the belly back into the fridge in a container of water. I will taste a little piece again after a couple of hours, refresh the water if necessary (maybe a couple of times), dry the belly and then smoke it.Fingers crossed ......